Rm Orb Research Articles

Accretion disc formation around the neutron star in Be/X-ray binaries

We study the accretion on to the neutron star in Be/X-ray binaries, using a 3D SPH code and the data imported from a simulation by \citet{oka2} for a coplanar system with a short period ($P_{\rm orb}=24.3 \rm{d}$) and a moderate eccentricity $(e=0.34)$, which targeted the Be/X-ray binary 4U 0115+63. For simplicity, we adopt the polytropic equation of state. We find that a time-dependent accretion disc is formed around the neutron star regardless of the simulation parameters. In the long term, the disc evolves via a two-stage process, which consists of the initial developing stage and the later developed stage. The developed disc is nearly Keplerian. In the short term, the disc structure modulates with the orbital phase. The disc shrinks at the periastron passage of the Be star and restores its radius afterwards. The accretion rate on to the neutron star is also phase dependent, but its peak is broader and much lower than that of the mass-transfer rate from the Be disc, unless the polytropic exponent is as large as 5/3. Our simulations show that the truncated Be disk model for Be/X-ray binaries is consistent with the observed X-ray behaviour of 4U 0115+63.

What can we learn from the surface chemical composition of the optical companions of Soft X-ray transients?

Several evolutionary sequences with low-mass secondaries ($M_{\rm d}=1.25$, 1.5 and 1.7 $M_\odot$) and black hole accretors ($M_{\rm bh}=5$ and 10 $M_\odot$) are calculated. The angular momentum losses due to magnetic braking and gravitational wave radiation are included. Using full nuclear networks (p-p and CNO cycles) we follow carefully the evolution of the surface composition of the secondary star. We find that the surface chemical composition of the secondary star may give additional information which helps to understand the formation of soft X-ray transients with black holes as accretors. We show that observations of isotope ratios 12 C/ 13 C, 14 N/ 15 N and 16 O/ 17 O with comparison to computed sequences allow estimates independent of spectroscopy of the mass of the secondary component. We find that our evolutionary calculations satisfactorily explain the observed $q=M_{\rm sg}/M_{\rm bh}-P_{\rm orb}$ distribution for Soft X-ray transients with orbital periods less than one day. Using our evolutionary calculations we estimate secondary masses and surface chemical abundances (C, N, O) for different systems. We distinguished three different phases in the SXT's evolution. The optical component shows (i) cosmic C, N, O abundances and 12 C/ 13 C isotopic ratio; (ii) cosmic C, N, O abundances but modified 12 C/ 13 C ratio; and (iii) depletion of C and enhanced of N abundances and strongly modified isotopic ratios of C, N, O.

Temperature profiles of accretion discs around rapidly rotating strange stars in general relativity: A comparison with neutron stars

We compute the temperature profiles of accretion discs around rapidly rotating strange stars, using constant gravitational mass equilibrium sequences of these objects, considering the full effect of general relativity. Beyond a certain critical value of stellar angular momentum (J), we observe the radius ( $r_{\rm orb}$) of the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) to increase with J (a property seen neither in rotating black holes nor in rotating neutron stars). The reason for this is traced to the crucial dependence of ${\rm d}r_{\rm orb}/{\rm d}J$ on the rate of change of the radial gradient of the Keplerian angular velocity at $r_{\rm orb}$ with respect to J. The structure parameters and temperature profiles obtained are compared with those of neutron stars, as an attempt to provide signatures for distinguishing between the two. We show that when the full gamut of strange star equation of state models, with varying degrees of stiffness are considered, there exists a substantial overlap in properties of both neutron stars and strange stars. However, applying accretion disc model constraints to rule out stiff strange star equation of state models, we notice that neutron stars and strange stars exclusively occupy certain parameter spaces. This result implies the possibility of distinguishing these objects from each other by sensitive observations through future X-ray detectors.